Clarifying Doubts About the Pure Land (I)
淨土釋疑(一)
Continued Answer to Question 10 ( 4/6):
So, when we entrust ourselves to the Pure Land path, our hearts begin to soften. This softening manifests as a spirit that no longer clings or holds grudges, that can forgive and embrace others. It brings a natural kindness toward all beings, along with a deep sense of apology and humility. This is because, through endless kalpas, we’ve unknowingly incurred countless debts to sentient beings—debts we’ve never repaid, and were never even aware of.
Yet now, within the light of Amitabha Buddha’s wisdom and compassion, we awaken and realize: "This is the kind of being I truly am!"
This is precisely where the Pure Land path differs from self-powered paths. In self-powered practices, one must actively cultivate the six perfections - generosity, patience, and so on—striving to perform virtuous deeds. However, in the Pure Land path, our giving arises naturally. Even when we give, we do not think of it as practicing generosity, because we recognize our nature as ordinary beings mired in delusion and karmic obstruction. We understand that our so-called merits are conditioned and impure, motivated by desire and calculation. They cannot be called true offerings.
Only Amitabha Buddha can truly offer perfection. He gives us the Pure Land, the fruition of his Buddhahood. Because he gives us this greatest of gifts, we are inspired to give, not for gain, but out of gratitude and love. There's no longer any need to seek merit, for the highest merit has already been given to us by Amitabha.
(to be continued tomorrow)
10問：請問師父，念佛的人也有苦惱，平時說念佛法喜，苦惱時念佛還法喜 嗎？他的心中有些什麼轉化？
續答 (4/ 6)：
所以，我們信受淨土法門，這顆心會柔軟下來。柔軟下來就顯現一種不太 計較、能夠寬諒包容，同時對所有人都好，懷著一種抱歉的心、對不起的心。 因為，永劫以來，我們曾經欠了眾生不曉得多少的債，都沒能償還，而且，一 直都不知道，現在被阿彌陀佛的光明照觸，「我原來是這一種眾生！」
所以，淨土法門跟自力法門之所以不一樣，也就在這裏。自力法門要自己 去修六度萬行，自己去修布施、修忍辱。我們不是，我們是自自然然地去付出 ，即使付出了，也不認為我們是在修布施，因為我們知道自己是罪惡生死凡 夫，知道自己所做的功德都是有為有漏，都是虛假的心、有代價的心，有功利存在，一點都不是真實的奉獻；唯有彌陀將極樂世界奉獻給我們，將成佛的 功德布施給我們，使我們自自然然也想付出，而且付出卻沒有那種祈求回報心，因為最大的功德阿彌陀佛已經給我們了，我們不須再來祈求功德了。
Namo Amituofo!
